Tory Historian was caught up in the excitement (well, a slight frisson) that surrounded the European elections, which, in fact, will change very little. It is time to return to books that matter. On the list are two very different volumes.

"Private Views - Voices from the Front Line of British Culture", put together by Peter Whittle, director of The New Culture Forum and published jointly by NCF and the Social Affairs Unit, is not precisely historical except in its background, but an analysis of the state of British culture (a suspect term, admittedly) and the need to wrest control away from the left-wing arts establishment.

A more obvious choice is Andrew Roberts's "Masters and Commanders", which is packed with wonderful stories about four extraordinary people, two politicians and two military leaders.